Creme Anglaise For Apricot Pudding Food

CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Combine milk and cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk mixture to simmer. Remove from heat.
• Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)

CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine milk, salt, and half the sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) over medium-high heat. Scrape vanilla bean seeds into pan, then add pod. Heat over medium just until mixture starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Remove from heat; cover and let stand 30 minutes.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with remaining sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons).
• Use ladle to pour a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk to combine. (This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from curdling.) Add another ladle of milk mixture, and whisk to combine. Pour this mixture into remaining cream mixture in the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl (to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked bits of egg) in an ice-water bath. Let stand until cold, stirring occasionally.

CREME ANGLAISE FOR APRICOT PUDDING

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Put milk, cream, vanilla bean, and seeds into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Pour half of hot-milk mixture into reserved yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture back into pan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in ice-water bath; discard solids. Let stand; stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.

APRICOT PUDDING

Steps:

• Set a round wire rack in bottom of large stockpot. Set a 5-cup pudding basin or ovenproof bowl on rack. Fill pot with enough water to come about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the basin. Remove basin; dry, and butter inside. Set aside. Cover pot, and bring to a boil.
• Put apricots, brandy, and 1/2 cup water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until apricots are very soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup apricots. Carefully puree remaining apricot mixture in a food processor (you should have about 1/2 cup); let cool 10 minutes.
• Cut reserved apricots into 1/2-inch pieces; return to saucepan. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a simmer; cook until liquid is nearly evaporated. Pour mixture into prepared basin, and set aside.
• Butter a 10-inch round of parchment paper; set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
• Put remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the lime zest into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in lime juice.
• Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the apricot puree and milk. Transfer batter to prepared basin.
• Place parchment round, buttered side down, over basin. Make a pleat in center of parchment. Cover with an 11-inch round of foil. Make a pleat in the center of the foil to allow room for pudding to expand. Cut a piece of twine about 7 feet long. Wrap twine twice around basin over foil, just below lip. Knot to secure. Tie loose ends to twine on other side of basin, creating a handle.
• Lower pudding into boiling water; cover pot. Return to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Steam until an instant-read thermometer inserted into pudding registers 180 degrees, about 1 1/2 hour, adding boiling water occasionally to maintain level.
• Transfer pudding to a wire rack. Remove foil and parchment. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of bowl to loosen, and invert pudding onto a serving plate. Serve warm, with ice cream or creme anglaise if desired.

APRICOT SOUFFLES WITH VANILLA RUM CRèME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• To make the apricot soufflé:
• In a heavy saucepan simmer apricots, water, and 1/2 cup sugar, covered, 20 minutes. Transfer hot mixture to a food processor and purée until very smooth. Force purée through a fine sieve into a bowl and stir in lemon juice, rum, vanilla, a pinch salt. Cool purée completely. Purée may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered,. Bring to room temperature before proceeding. Transfer purée to a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 7-ounce (3 1/2- by 1 3/4 - inch) ramekins and coat with additional sugar, knocking out excess.
• In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with pinch of salt until foamy. Beat in cream of tartar and beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat meringue until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one forth meringue into purée to lighten and fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Ladle batter into ramekins and bake soufflés on a baking sheet in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and just set in center.
• Remove ramekins from oven. With 2 forks pull open center of each soufflé and pour some crème anglaise into each opening. Serve soufflés immediately.
• To make the vanilla rum crème anglaise:
• In a small heavy saucepan bring half-and-half just to a boil with vanilla bean and remove pan from heat. Scrape seeds from bean with a knife into half-and-half, reserving pod for another use if desired.
• In a bowl whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt and whisk in hot half-and-half in a stream. Return custard to pan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened (170°F. on a candy thermometer), but do not let boil. Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally. Stir in rum. Chill sauce, covered, until very cold, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Makes about 2 1/4 cups.

FLOATING ISLAND WITH APRICOT CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees. Butter the inside of a 2-quart soufflé mold or baking dish, at least 3 and 1/2 inches deep, then use 2 tablespoons sugar to coat butter, knocking out excess over the sink.
• Using an electric mixer set on medium-slow speed, beat egg whites until they begin to froth. Add salt and cream of tartar, increase speed to fast, and continue to beat until whites hold soft peaks. Add remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time and beat until whites hold stiff peaks. Beat in vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in almond flour.
• Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. It might overfill the dish; that's O.K. Do not press mixture down. Bake until meringue has risen at least 1/2 inch and is very lightly colored on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Prepare the crème Anglaise: In a medium, heavy saucepan, bring milk to a simmer. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow and thick. Whisking constantly, dribble in about half of the hot milk. (Don't stop whisking or you risk curdling the eggs.) Pour yolk mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk and gently cook over low heat, stirring constantly and thoroughly, especially around the sides of the pan. When mixture starts to thicken enough to coat the spoon, about 5 minutes, add apricots and cook for 2 minutes longer, just enough to soften the fruit, while continuing to stir.
• Transfer apricot mixture to a food processor or blender, add vanilla and purée until just smooth. Don't overdo it: you don't want a mousse-like froth. Chill until serving, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Run a knife around the sides of the meringue to loosen it from the dish and unmold it onto a large platter or, even better, into a wide, shallow bowl. The sugar syrup that's formed will run down the sides of the meringue. Pour apricot crème Anglaise around the island, creating a pale orange sea. Serve garnished with sliced almond and apricots, if you like.